Box lock or fastener.



J F. BEEHLEE.

BOX LOCK 0R PASTENER.

APPLICATION IIYLLD AUG.1B, 191s.

Patented Apr. 28, 19M

James F; BEEELER, or sr. noozs, mrssoum.

BOX LOCK on rasrnimn.

' Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed August 18, 18,13. Sprial No. 785,094.

Patented-Apr. 2s, 1914.

l T all whom it may concern:

l5 e it known that 1, JAMES F. BEEHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box Looks or Fasteners, of which the following is a lull, clear, and exact descriptiomreference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.-

My invention relates to an improved box lock or fastener, particularly intended for use on beer boxes, egg cases, shipping crates and the like, the principal object of my invention being to provide a simple, inexpensive lock or latch which is adapted to efiectually hold the'lid or cover of the box in closed position, and which lock can be readilyreleased when desired.

Further objects of my invention are to construct a box lock or fastener from sheet metal, punched and bent to proper shape by suitable dies, which construction enables-me to produce the locks or fasteners at comparatively little cost, and a lock or fastener having a latching plate or keeper located either on the interior or exterior of the box, thereby making the device either an inside lock or an outside lock.

To the above purposesmy invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through .the upper portion of a box and. the

lid thereof, and showing my improved lockor fastener applied thereto as an inside lock. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken approximatelyon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fi 1Q Fig. 4 is a vertical section similar the box: 1 designates the front wall of the the device. wall 1, immediately below the opening 3, 1s

box, 2 the lid thereof, and 3 an opening in the front wall through which .a suitable tool is passed to release the latching member of Fixed to the inner face of the a plate 4, the central portion of which is stamped or bent outwardly to forma vertically disposed rib or housing 5, and formed in the upper portion of the, front wall of this rther to provide rib is an aperture 6 which receives the upper portion of a flat spring 7. The lower portion of this spring is positioned on the exterioro the ribor housing 5, and the upper end of said'spring bears against an inwardly turned lip 8 on the upper end of the housing device comprises an elongated body 9 formed of sheet metal and channel shape in cross section, and thei'lower: portion of saidbody is positioned, immediately over the housing 5. Passin through said housing ;5'- a and through the si e wallsof the body 9;is.

a pin 10 which pivotally connects the latch: ing member to said housing, and when S0 positioned the lower portion of the spring bears against the inner face of the lower 0. The latching. member-of my improved;

ortion of the front wall of said member 9. y I I he upper end of the latching member is provided with a hook shaped'head 11, said head being 'rovided with an inclined top plate 12. T e keeper used in connection with the inside lock comprises a flat'plate 13 which is fixed to the underside of the box' lid, near-the front edge thereof, and depending from the front edge of said plate is a rectangular housing comprising a-front wall 14:, side walls 15 and inclined bottom wall 16. When the 11d of the box is closed the hook 11 on the upper 'end of the body 9 0ccuples a position within the housing just described, said hook engaging the upper edgeof the inclined bottom wall 16, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This arrangement effectually holds the lid in closed position until the latching member is unseated by means of a pin or suitable tool inserted through the. aperture' 3. The front wall 14 is imperforate, which construction together with the side walls 15 prevents the latching in closing movement the inclined bottom wall 16 bears against the inclined top plate- 12 of the latchlng member and-moves the the housing surround" same rearwardly against [the resistance of the spring, after which the spring restores 18 is anupwardly and outwardly projecting lip 20. Formed integral with the plate 18 and projecting downwardly with the aperture 17 is an inclinedlip 21, against which the inclined upper end of the head on the latching member engages when the lid moves into closed position. In this form of device the upper end of the latching member. and

the lip 20 are perforated in order to receive a suitable sealing device.

A box fastener of my improved construc tion is comparatively simple, comprises a m nimum number of parts, can be easlly and I cheaply manufactured inasmuchas it is con- 'structcd wholly of sheet-metalcut and bent to proper form and formsan efiicient latch or lock for all forms of boxes and shipping I cases.

I claim- Ina box fastener, a plate adapted to be fixed to the front wall of the box, a latching member pivotally mou'ntedon said plate, a spring interposed between the plate and latching member, a plate adapted to be applied to the lid of the box and a. housing depending from said last mentioned plate,- 'WhlCll housing comprises an imperforate front wall, imperforate side walls, and an inclined bottom wall, the upper free edge of which is adapted to be engaged by the latching member when the box lid is closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of July, 1913.

JAMES F. BEEHLER.

Witnesses:

RUTH Pn'rnnson, WM. H. Soorr. 

